снова vs опять

snova vs opyat' — again/anew vs again, often with annoyance

What it really means

Снова and опять both mean again. Снова is neutral and often suggests doing something anew or returning to a prior state. Опять is very common in speech and frequently carries “again!”—repetition the speaker finds tiresome—though context can make it neutral.

Neither word changes verb aspect; use intonation and context to judge the emotional colour.

Examples in natural speech

Давайте снова попробуем.
Let's try again.
Я снова живу в Москве.
I live in Moscow again.
Опять идёт дождь!
It's raining again!
Он опять забыл ключи.
He forgot his keys again.
После перерыва урок снова начался.
After the break, the lesson started again.

Common mistakes

Do not assume опять is always rude, but avoid it when you want a warm neutral “again”; снова is safer. Again as “one more time” can be ещё раз.

Memory tip

Опять often sounds like a sigh; снова sounds like a restart.

Frequently asked questions

Are снова and опять interchangeable?

Often, but опять more readily signals annoyance.

How do I say try again?

Попробуй снова or попробуй ещё раз.

Does опять mean back?

It can imply return through context, but its core meaning is again.

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